What makes good small tank mates for chocolate cichlid and just how aggressive are they ?

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Given that it is a 13 inch fish what would it do to a tetra ?
nothing, theres also tetra i wouldnt hesitate on putting with predatory fish so it also depends on what species you want to keep. i mean i dont think itd do anything to a neon but a neon is possibly at risk of getting eaten by an angelfish too.
 
my full grown neons eat the smaller neons so with tetras it can be hard to say.

i think buenos aires tetras or congos would be fine.
 
and serape or black neon tetra ?
yeah those would be pushing it on the minimum size the black neons might just be large enough. the serape would obviously be a little more safe. id say black or white skirt would be a better bet for small tetra since theyre more round and harder to eat.

since you’re considering loaches ik you said you wanted to keep it mostly SA but barbs are pretty indestructible. kind of like the kong of dithers in my mind.
 
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A lot of barbs are nippers - the cherry are said not be nippers but are a bit on the small side. I don't want the barbs shredding angels fins as they can do a good enough job on their own.

yeah those would be pushing it on the minimum size the black neons might just be large enough. the serape would obviously be a little more safe. id say black or white skirt would be a better bet for small tetra since theyre more round and harder to eat.

since you’re considering loaches ik you said you wanted to keep it mostly SA but barbs are pretty indestructible. kind of like the kong of dithers in my mind.
 
A lot of barbs are nippers - the cherry are said not be nippers but are a bit on the small side. I don't want the barbs shredding angels fins as they can do a good enough job on their own.
tiger barbs are semi aggressive-peaceful to other species and have allot of interspecies aggression so if they are not in a properly maintained school the barbs try bringing other fish into their hierarchy and try to dominate them by nipping them and pushing them around the tank. other species of barb are the same but less aggressive. ive been really obsessed with red panda barbs lately i have a school of 7 and theyre all about 5-6” now and look great.
 
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tiger barbs are semi aggressive-peaceful to other species and have allot of interspecies aggression so if they are not in a properly maintained school the barbs try bringing other fish into their hierarchy and try to dominate them by nipping them and pushing them around the tank. other species of barb are the same but less aggressive. ive been really obsessed with red panda barbs lately i have a school of 7 and theyre all about 5-6” now and look great.
Yea but panda barbs are not really temp. compatible with my other stocking in this tank - they prefer it to be a bit cooler.
 
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